


Act Two

by madame_bingo



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Destiel - Freeform, F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Kissing, M/M, Minor Donna Hanscum/Jody Mills, Minor Kaia Nieves/Claire Novak, Multi, POV Dean Winchester, more characters later - Freeform, the finale sucked so I rewrote it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27753406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madame_bingo/pseuds/madame_bingo
Summary: They’ve just defeated God. Now it’s time to see where their free will really takes them.- 15x20 was a hate crime not only against me but against every single character in the show. So they’re my characters now and I will give them an ending they deserve.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1: Miracles Happen

**Author's Note:**

> This story starts right after Jack brings everyone back with his new powers. There’s a handful of things from the original end I’ve kept but not a lot.

All around them, the world came back to life. In an instant, the streets were filled with people again, as if nothing had happened at all. They smiled and moved on with their days and their lives. And Dean felt just a little jealous. Sam looked at Jack.

“Is... Eileen?” He asked, voice just a bit shaky. Jack smiled.

“Yes. She’s home, exactly where she was before.” Sam let out a deep sigh of relief. As he did, his phone rang and no one needed to ask who it was. Sam’s face lit up, then he walked away to talk in private. Before he could help it, that jealousy twinged in Dean’s gut once more. He tried to push that feeling away but found that it wasn’t willing to go. The feeling had intertwined itself with the despair that coursed through him, anchoring itself in place.

“So,” Dean said at last. “God, huh? With a capital G and everything.” 

Jack smiled. Cas might not have been the kids real father but sometimes the resemblance was uncanny. It made Dean’s stomach drop. Suddenly, Dean was so full of regret. Regret for everything he had said and done to Jack. He knew that Jack had forgiven him, probably as soon as he said it. But Dean, the new Dean, had to say it. 

“Jack, I-“ Dean swallowed. “I’m so sorry, kiddo. I was wrong, about everything, and I don’t know why I said all those things to you.” 

“Dean,” Jack interrupted. “You don’t have to apologize.” 

“Yes, I do. What I said, back at the bunker, before... well, before all of this, I was wrong. You are family. You’re my family. Jack, you’re my kid, and I—“ Dean stopped, only for a moment. Only long enough, to think about Cas’s words to him in the bunker. “Jack, I love you, kid.”

Jack threw his arms around Dean. At first, he hesitated, unsure, but Dean quickly squeezed him back in a long, tight hug. When they finally broke apart, Dean had tears in his eyes. He tried to wipe them away inconspicuously, but he was unsuccessful. Deans chest ached, but Jack looked giddy. Sam returned, face also giddy. Dean felt that jealousy once more, but did not express it. He was happy that they we’re happy.

“So, what now?” Sam asked. The boys all looked at each other. It was Jack who finally spoke. 

“I think I should leave.”

“Excuse me—?“ “Wait, what—?” Sam and Dean both shouted, but Jack held up two defensive hands.

“Chuck should never have inserted himself into the story. And now I can’t either. I’ll always be here, in the leaves and the dust and everything. But I can’t stay on Earth.”

“No, Jack, there’s gotta be some other way.” Sam grabbed the young gods shoulder. Jack gave him a faint smile, then turned his attention to the elder brother.

“Dean, you know I’m right.”

It hurt Dean that Jack would think that. He understood, after everything that he had done, but Dean wasn’t ready to lose another family member. He couldn’t do it.

“Jack,” he started, and Jack gave him a appreciative smile. “Get your ass in the car.”

Sam laughed and Jacks eyes widened in surprise.

“But, Dean—“

“Now.”

Jack, an all powerful celestial being, was no match for Deans dad voice. He rushed to the Impala, sliding into the back seat. It almost brought a smile to Deans face. Almost. Sam walked happily to the front seat. Dean paused a moment and started walking to Baby. He walked slowly, his head buzzing with thoughts of all the friends he’d see again. And, mostly, of the one he wouldn’t. Dean didn’t know what he was going to do. He wanted to make Cas’s sacrifice worth it. He wanted to live and he happy so that Cas’s hadn’t died in vain. But whenever he thought about Cas, which felt like every other thought, he wanted to die. He wanted to charge into the he empty and personally break that stupid angel outta there with his bare hands. But that-

“That would take a miracle,” Dean whispered to himself. Just then he felt something hit his foot. When he looked down, the was a big stick laying on his boot. He bent down to pick it up and came face to face with a little wet nose. The mutt from yesterday stared right at him, tongue out and tail wagging.

“I’ll be damned,” Dean said, to no one but the dog. He rubbed the little guys ears and wondered at the coincidence. Dean knew it couldn’t be a sign from God, mostly because he had just told God to put on his seatbelt. Dean wasn’t sure he believed in fate anymore, either. But he sure found this hard to explain.

“C’mon, girl. Let’s go.” He grabbed the stick and led Miracle to the Impala. She jumped into the backseat next to Jack, resting her head on his lap. Sam looked back at the dog, then to Dean.

“You found the dog?” Sam gave Dean an incredulous look.

“What? You like dogs!”

“Yeah. I do. You don’t.” Dean turned the key and listened to the engine roar to life. He looked back at the dog and the kid, snuggled together in the backseat, then back at his not-so-little little brother.

“Maybe I do.” And maybe things weren’t as hopeless as Dean had thought. Sam raised an eyebrow, confused at the sudden change in Deans attitude. Dean ignored him. When he had it all figured out he’d explain. For now, he shifted the car into drive and drove towards home.


	2. Making Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean formulates a plan. Sam and Jack formulate a separate plan.

It was dark when they arrived at the bunker. Dean opened the door and Miracle races inside, speeding down the stairs. It brought a small smile to Dean’s face. The three of them didn’t discuss much. They had won the day, they’d defeated God, but there was still plenty that hung in the air. Still plenty of reason to be somber. So Dean cooked dinner while Sam and Jack talked quietly in the other room. Dean got the sense that were, not exactly hiding anything, but definitely trying to stay quiet enough he couldn’t hear them. For once, he didn’t mind. He was preoccupied with his own racing thoughts. 

Dean’s brain was thinking of things he’d never gotten to say when he felt a little paw on his foot. He looked down and saw Miracle, head tilted ever so slightly, gently pawing at him. Stupidly, it made him think of Cas. Maybe it was the little head tilt. Dean could feel the tears building up again and swallowed hard to prevent it. Instead, he picked a piece of meat out of the pan he was frying it in. After blowing on it to make sure it was cool, he tossed it to the dog. She caught it right out of the air. 

“Good girl!” Dean leaned down and rubbed Miracle’s ears. 

When the cooking was finished, Dean and Miracle emerged from the kitchen. Dean carried three plates out to the table where Sam and Jack sat and whispered. Books were spread open all over the table, along with random bowls and spell ingredients. It made it impossible to set the plates down anywhere. 

“Oh! Dean!” Jack hopped up when he noticed Dean. He moved several books out the way so Dean could free his arms. 

“Needed a little light reading, huh?” Dean mused. Sam gave him a nervous half smile. 

“Uh, yeah, I guess so.” Dean looked between his brother and his kid. 

“What’s up? Really.” 

The two of them looked at each other, then back at Dean. Jack smiled brightly. 

“We have a plan.” 

“A plan?” Dean asked nervously. “What kind of plan?” 

“For me. To stay.” Jack was still smiling. He looked so proud of himself. Dean glanced at Sam, who was also smiling. 

“You and I both want Jack to stay here. Jack wants that, too. But he was right. It’s not right for God to insert themself into the story like Chuck did.” 

“Yeah...?” Dean didn’t know where this was headed. But when his family came up with plans without him, it always stressed him out. 

“So get this. Jack and I think we’ve found a spell that can separate Jack and Amara. That way Jack can still be there to keep the balance but Amara can take the responsibility of being God.” 

“At least for now,” Jack interjected. 

“Wait, what?” Sam turned to Jack. The kid looked at the brothers, eyes full of light and love. 

“This is what I was born to do. I was always supposed to make the world a paradise. It’s what my mother and Cas always thought I would do.” 

“Jack, you’re three years old,” Dean felt fear rising in him. Afraid that he was about to lose Jack too. 

“I know. And that’s why I need Amara. I don’t think I’ll be ready for a long time. So, with Amara I can stay here and grow and learn.” 

“Are you telling me we’re gonna have to split custody with The Darkness?” 

“That’s certainly one way to put it.” Sam scoffed. 

At least, Dean thought, this is news to Sam too. 

“Well,” Dean ran his hand down his face. “Let’s do this.” 

~~~~~

The spell, or ritual, or whatever-it-was was a blur to Dean. Sam did most of the heavy lighting where spell work was concerned and Jack did his part. Mostly, Dean watched. It did occur to him to ask how they’d found this spell and so quickly. He had a feeling that a certain Red Haired Witch was involved, but he wasn’t sure when they’d have had time to talk to her. Figures that Sam would have the Queen of Hell on speed dial. 

Eventually, the spell was done. It had looked kinda painful for Jack, but he didn’t act like it. They had thrown ingredients into a bowl, Sam had mumbled some magic words, Jack used some of his god power. Then Amara was standing before them. Actually, she was kneeling and so was Jack. Sam was already at Jacks side, helping him up. Amara stayed on the ground. Dean could here her softly crying. 

“Amara?” Dean asked, hesitant. She looked up and her cheeks were flushed and wet. 

“He’s gone. Isn’t he?” 

“Well...” Sam started. Dean stopped him. 

“Yes. Basically.” She gave him a long, confused stare. Then, slowly, understanding creeped over her features. 

“He’s human.” 

“He’s powerless.” Dean and Amara stared into each other’s eyes. A long, silent moment passed before anyone spoke. 

“Good.” Amara rose to her feet. “Jack. My nephew, I suppose. Maybe now we will have a chance to get to know each other.” 

Jack gave her his patented little smile. 

“I’d like that.” 

Jack and Amara went to talk privately, leaving Sam and Dean alone. Sam looked a Dean. He looked like he wanted to ask something or to say something but was afraid of what Dean might do. 

“You got something to say, Sammy?” Dean looked at him using his peripheral vision. He was scared that if he looked in his eyes, he might reveal something more than he wanted to. 

“Dean...” Sam paused, like he was afraid to ask the question. “What happened? With Billie and The Empty and... Cas? How did Cas summon the empty?” 

“Sammy...” Dean felt the sobs building up inside him again. “I can’t—.” 

“Dean? You can tell me.” 

“Sam, it’s all my fault. He died for me— because of me!” Dean was on the verge of tears, but he tried to hold himself together. “A while ago, Cas made a deal to save Jack. The empty wanted to take him from heaven because he was half-angel. But Cas got The Empty to take him instead. Only The Empty told Cas that’d it wouldn’t take him yet. That it wanted Cas to be happy first, then it would take him.” 

“So that’s how he summoned the empty. But, wait, what was it? What could have made him happy at a time like that?” 

Dean turned to look at Sam for the first time during their conversation. He had held the tears in this long but now, looking at his little brother, he felt them start to slip down his cheeks. 

“He told me...” Dean choked on the words. He was scared to say them, scared to understand what they meant. He was even more scared that Sam might see right through him and understand what Dean himself couldn’t. “He told me that he loved me.” 

Just then, Jack and Amara returned. When they saw Sam, looking shocked, and Dean, looking heartbroken, they seemed concerned, but didn’t broach the subject. 

“I’ll be leaving now. I think I need to go to Heaven. There’s work to be done there.” Amara said to no one in particular. 

“And I,” Jack pipped in, “Will pop in to help from time to time.” 

Dean didn’t say anything. This was the best possible scenario regarding Jack and he was glad that it had worked out. But he couldn’t bring himself to celebrate anything just then. Sam spoke for the both of them. 

“I think that’s great, guys. Thank you, Amara.” 

“No.” She said. “Thank you.” 

Then she was gone, and the boys were left alone. 

~~~~~

It was late. Dean sat up in bed. He tossed and turned for hours before finally falling asleep. But when he did, the nightmares swarmed him, drowning him. The old ones first, of before hell and after it. Of the apocalypse and of all the people who had sided in front of him. Sam’s first death always stuck out to him, no matter how much time had passed. But he was used to those dreams. Then the fresher ones. Of every time he had died, of every world ending event. Of purgatory. But now... now there were brand new nightmares. Cas being dragged away from him. Again. Of the empty goo enveloping Cas and ripping him from Dean. So when Dean woke to the sound of someone else stirring in the bunker, he decided to investigate. 

Dean crept down to library. When he found it empty, he checked the kitchen next. There, he saw her. Amara. She sat alone at the little table. Her hands were folded neatly and she looked sadly down at them, lost in thought. She didn’t notice Dean. 

“Amara? I thought you left.” At the sound of Dean’s voice, her head shot up. She quickly wiped a tear from her eyes, clearly hoping Dean wouldn’t notice. She looked embarrassed. 

“Dean. Hello. I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t wake you.” 

“Nah,” Dean said, sliding into the seat across from her. “Couldn’t sleep anyway.” 

“I don’t believe you, Dean.” 

“You don’t have to. Amara, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you before. And I’m sorry about Chuck. Well, I’m not sorry. But he was family. Losing him, it’s gotta be tough.” 

“Thank you,” she gave a weak smile, tears still brimming in her eyes. “But you don’t need to apologize. I’m glad you won. The world didn’t deserve to die. However, it is difficult, losing the only family I had.” 

“I know it’s not the same, but... you do have Jack. Which means you have Sam and Me and-“ Dean couldn’t finish that sentence. He couldn’t because it wasn’t possible to finish. Amara and Dean both sat in silence. The quiet of the night enveloped them. Something hung between them, something that neither of them understood and was different for each of them. Something that needed to be addressed. Amara spoke first. 

“Dean. I know you don’t, never did, love me. I’m not even sure if I loved you. But I wanted to. And I wanted you to love me. You used that against me. And I can’t forgive you for that. But I can move past it,” she paused and looked at Dean, who seemed to hold his breath. “This is the second time you have freed me, Dean. So before I leave for good, I want to thank you. To reward you.” 

“That didn’t work out so good last time, Amara.” 

“I know. And I’m sorry for that. So this time, I want you to tell me what you want.” 

Dean thought for a moment. Not because he didn’t know what he wanted but because he didn’t know how to say it. He swallowed hard. 

“I think I know just thing.”


	3. Into The Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amara makes a startling discovery. Dean makes a decision. Sam and Dean come to the same realization.

Amara listened intently as Dean tearfully explained. He told her the story of Cas’s sacrifice and of his deal with The Empty. It was strange to Dean just how difficult he found it to hold back tears these last few days. Dean “Single Man Tear” Winchester had found himself crying frequently. 

When he had finished his tale, Amara nodded politely. Without speaking, she rose and moved to the wall. As her hands raised, the wall began to ripple. The black goo began to form slowly. Dean held his breath. But just as the hole in the wall seemed big enough for someone to pass through, it began to collapse on itself. Amara seemed to struggle against the goo. There was some sort of power struggle happening before Deans eyes. The hole stayed the same size for a moment and it seemed like Amara might win. Then the hole snapped close, the goo gone, and The Empty closed again. 

“What the hell was that?” Dean half-shouted. He didn’t want to wake up Sam and Jack but he was he couldn’t keep his voice down when it seemed like his hopes had just been crushed. 

“I- I’m not sure,” Amara frowned. “I can’t get through.” 

“Can’t get through? What do you mean you ‘can’t get through’? You’re God!” 

“I know!” She tried to quiet Dean, aware that they might be about to attract unwanted attention. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand what’s happening. Something is... wrong. With The Empty.” 

“But if you can’t get through-“ Dean felt tears coming again, but refused to lose control again. He swallowed them down. “What else can we do?” 

“I can’t get through,” Amara started. “But maybe you can.” 

“What?” Dean squeaked. 

“I think that The Empty is purposefully keeping me out. Or, not me, per say, but keeping God-Power out. Their angry with Chucks interference in their realm. But if I can hold the window open long enough, maybe you can get through.” 

Dean swallowed hard. 

“Awesome. Sounds like fun, let’s do it.” He walked toward the wall, but Amara pulled him back. 

“Dean, wait. It will be dangerous. I think you should rest and talk it over with your family. Besides, I need to recharge and The Empty will be expecting us to try again. We should wait until tomorrow.” 

Dean wanted to argue, but he knew she was right. He walked to his room feeling defeated. His eyes stung and his throat hurt and there was a pit in his stomach. He knew if went to sleep he’d be drowned by his nightmares again. Instead, he knelt by the edge of his bed. 

“Cas,” He began before feeling the words get choked off. He took a deep breath, then began again. “Cas. I don’t know if you can hear me but I’m coming to get you. I don’t know what it’s like in there, but, right now? It friggin’ sucks out here without you, man. I need you back, Cas. I want you back. So I’m gonna come save you like you saved me all those years ago. I’ll see you soon, buddy.” 

~~~~~~ 

Dean was gathering weapons the next morning when Sam burst into his room. 

“Screw you, Dean!” 

Dean blinked. He was sure he deserved it, but he didn’t know what particular thing Sam was referring to. Maybe he just meant it in general. 

“Mornin’, Sammy.” 

Sam stomped forward to Deans position. He grabbed the angel blade that was sat next to Dean on the foot of his bed. Sam held it up with an accusatory glare. 

“Listen, Sam. You know I love charades as much as the next guy, but I don’t know if now’s the right time.” 

“Are you serious?!” Sam shouted. He looked furious. “Jack and I talked to Amara.” 

Sam let that hang in the air, waiting for Dean to defend himself or argue. When he didn’t, Sam was even angrier. 

“You weren’t even gonna tell us? You were just gonna leave and let us worry?” 

“I-“ Dean wasn’t sure what to say. Sam was right. But Dean wasn’t sorry. He didn’t want to tell Sam or Jack because they might try to stop him. They might tell him that this was crazy and dangerous. And he might be dumb enough to listen them. After all, they were right. 

“Sam, I have to do this.” That was all Dean could say. 

“Dean, I understand.” Sam’s eyes were full of sympathy. “But can’t we talk about this? I know that Cas was your best friend. I miss him, too. Jack misses him. And I know he sacrificed himself for you but-“ 

Dean cut him off. 

“Sam, I have to do this!” They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment. Dean was scared. So, so scared. He was trying to reveal to Sam something he hadn’t even revealed to himself. He was scared of how Sam would react but somehow he was even more afraid that he wouldn’t understand what Dean was trying to say. He needed Sam to understand because he couldn’t say it. Dean felt his chest pounding as he looked into Sams eyes, looking for understanding. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he saw it. 

“Dean,” Sam pleaded. “Promise me that you’ll be careful.” 

Dean gave him his patented cocky smile. 

“You know me, Sammy. I’m the definition of caution.” 

~~~~~ 

Jack was talking to Amara when Dean and Sam walked in. Jack’s brow was furrowed, like he was thinking hard about something. Amara has a single hand on his shoulder, reassuring him. They both seemed to notice the brothers enter the room at the same time. 

“Dean,” Amara sighed. “We’re ready.” 

Dean nodded. He was as ready as he was ever going to be. He had a angel blade tucked into his jacket and Cas’s tie in his pocket. He didn’t need it, but it made him feel better. 

“Let’s do this.” 

Amara turned away from the three of them, facing a wall. She, with Jacks help this time, began to channel The Empty. The goo spread out until it had formed a hole big enough for Dean to walk through. Thus far they’d seemed to escape detection from The Empty but who knew how long that would last. Dean looked back at Sam. His kid brother looked more nervous than he’d seen him in a while. Dean gave him a reassuring smile, then he walked to the portal. He took a deep breath and started to step inside. Before he could, though, he felt a hand on his arm. Dean’s gaze followed the hand to its owner. Jack looked back at him with fear in his eyes. Dean placed his hand on Jacks shoulder with a soft smile. Jack pulled him into a tight hug. Neither of them spoke but the message was clear. Be careful. When they pulled apart, Dean nodded. Then he turned to Amara. 

“Take this, Dean.” She handed him a small stopwatch. “You have twelve hours. Then we have to pull you back. I have a feeling there won’t be any second chances if you fail this time.” 

Dean swallowed. He took the watch. 

“I guess I just won’t fail then.” 

He shoved the watch into his pocket. Then he stepped through the portal and was immediately surrounded by nothingness. 

~~~~~ 

Dean emerged into the inky blackness of The Empty. It was cold and terrifying. Just looking at the place sent a shiver down his spine. He turned around to the portal, but it was gone. He was alone in The Empty. Nervously, Dean licked his lips. One of his classic tells. Then he started walking. 

“Twelve hours, huh?” 

It quickly became clear to Dean that he didn’t have the first idea of how to look for someone in The Empty. Hell, the place was designed to isolate you. How was Dean supposed to find one person in endless nothingness? 

Because you have to, Dean thought. He decided he needed to find someone. Anyone. Then they could lead him to Cas. 

After a while, Dean’s mind started to drift. He thought about purgatory. This whole endeavor reminded him of the last time he had searched for the angel. Last time, he’d had Benny to help. And he couldn’t go an hour without seeing another monster last time. But those differences seemed arbitrary. There was something else, another difference this time, that made the anxiety rise in Dean more than it had before. Dean wondered if finding Cas in purgatory was the first time he really knew. Even if he couldn’t admit it then. 

Before he’d really had time to ponder it, Dean found himself lying on his stomach. There was weight, like a knee, pressing into his spine and hands on his shoulders. He felt one hand move, to do what he didn’t know, and he used that moment to gain the upper hand. He flung his weight, flipping both himself and his assailant over. They were smaller than he expected. It made them easy to throw off of himself. Dean quickly began to pull himself up of the ground, but froze momentarily when he saw a familiar face. Laying where he’d thrown her was a demon he hadn’t thought about in years. Ruby. 

She used his shock to kick him square in the stomach. Dean fell on his back. Like lighting, Ruby was on top of him. She noticed the angel blade in his jacket and was quick to reach for it. She was quicker than Dean, but he was stronger. She had the blade in her hand, but he could keep her from using it. As they struggled over the weapon, she tried to interrogate him. 

“How are you here?” She growled. 

“How are you awake?” Dean shot back. “I thought you assholes were supposed to be sleeping in here!” 

“We all woke up,” she grinned maliciously. “Or most of us did.” 

“What the hell does that mean?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” 

Dean was confused and that made him angry. She was toying with him somehow, he just didn’t know what her angle was. He managed to wrestle the angel blade out of her hand but in doing so he lost the weapon too. The silver blade clattered across the pitch black floor. Ruby switched tactics quickly. She pressed her elbow into Deans throat hard. 

“He promised!” She shouted, seeming desperate. “He was supposed to get me out!” 

He didn’t know what she meant and Dean didn’t know what to say. Even if he did, he wouldn’t have been able to get a word out. Deans vision started to blur at the edges. He thought of Cas and how he was failing him. Again. If he died here, Cas’s sacrifice would be in vain, and yet here he was. Dying. Dean wondered briefly if he would be stuck here when he died. 

Then, the tip of the angel blade was stuck out of Ruby’s chest. The blade disappeared and Dean watched Ruby’s body slip to the ground and sink into the blackness. Dean sat up, rubbing his throat. 

“Who-?” Dean started. His eyes shot to the space behind where Ruby had stood. The figure there gave him a lopsided grin. 

“Hey there, Dean-o!”


	4. How To Make Friends and Locate People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean sees some old friends and older enemies.

“Huh. Son of a bitch,” Dean muttered, reaching for the hand that Gabriel had extended to him. 

“Right back at ya, pal,” Gabriel heaved Dean up off the ground. “What the hell is a nice fella like you doin’ in a place like this?” 

“I’m-“ Dean paused. What should he say? “I’m here to save someone.” 

“I don’t suppose I’m lucky enough to be your damsel in distress, huh?” 

“Sorry,” Dean said, suddenly feeling a little guilty. After all, Gabriel had died helping them. Gabriel, however, seemed to be in good spirits. 

“No problem-o!” He clapped Deans shoulder. “You’re gonna need my help, though. I get the sense that humans can’t navigate this place real well.” 

“You got that right.” 

“So, who we looking for?” 

Dean hesitated. He wasn’t too keen on getting other people involved in this and Gabriel was nosey. On the other hand, he had saved Dean’s life. Dean pulled out the stopwatch from Amara. 9 hours left. It seemed like time was moving faster in The Empty, so Dean didn’t have a choice. 

“I’m looking for Cas.” 

Dean and Gabriel looked at each other for a moment that felt to Dean like an eternity. He didn’t know what Gabriel was looking for in his expression, but he tried to keep it even. Finally, Gabriel smiled. 

“Ol’ Castiel! Just can’t keep him out of trouble!” 

“It’s not really his fault.” 

Gabriel have him a long, strange look. 

“No. It isn’t, is it?” 

Gabriel gave a short exhale, like he had realized something funny. Then, he walked off, leaving Dean to follow. For a while they walked in silence, something that Dean thought was uncommon for Gabriel. Just as the silence was starting to get to Dean, they heard a scuffle up ahead. They both seemed to notice it at the same time. Dean readied his blade and began to walk a little faster. 

The fight came into view shortly. There was four demons on one side and one on the other. When Dean realized he recognized the lone demon, he groaned. 

“I don’t have time for this,” he grumbled. Contradictory to his words, Dean threw himself into the fray. Gabriel was quick to follow. 

Having caught them off guard, Dean easily dispatched the first of the four demons. Gabriel shoved the second into Deans blade. Their bodies slumped to the ground and sunk into the black. Before Dean could get to them, the other two demons had run off. 

“Good riddance.” 

“Squirrel! What in gods name are you doing here?” 

“I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but, it’s good to see you Crowley.” 

He laughed, brushing his neat suit jacket off. 

“That’s a rather backhanded compliment You know I died to get you and that lumberjack brother of your’s home, don’t you?” 

“Well, I just saved your ass, so, I think we’re even.” 

Crowley laughed again. He seemed genuinely glad to see Dean. Just like Gabriel’s jokes before, Crowley’s comment about dying for Sam and Dean made his gut twinge with guilt. He wished he could get them all out. Dean wondered if they preferred the nightmares or being awake and alone. 

“Wait,” Dean said. “You should all be asleep.” 

“Observant as always, Dean,” Crowley smirked. That didn’t answer Dean’s question. He turned to Gabriel. 

“Hey, don’t look at me! Besides, I have a feeling it’s got something to do with you. We were all out, not enjoying our eternal sleep. Then, bang! The endless quiet is gone and we’re awake. Like a cosmic alarm clock went off.” 

“Jack,” Dean whispered. He suddenly understood. 

“Lucifer kid?” Gabriel asked. Dean glared at him. 

“Our kid. But yeah. Long story, but he sort of brought a god-killing bomb here.” 

“Well. That’ll do it.” 

“So,” Dean realized. “Who knows who we’ll run into here?” 

They all let that sink in. Lucifer was here. Alternate Michael. Probably old Michael. Every demon or angel they had ever killed or screwed over. And with this group that number was uncountable. Dean pulled out his watch again. Six hours left. 

“We need to get moving.” 

With that, they started walking again, their new member in tow. Dean had taken the lead, despite not knowing where he was going. He figured Gabriel would correct him if he was headed the wrong direction and he hadn’t yet. Behind him, Dean became aware that Crowley and Gabriel were whispering. About him, he was sure. Gabriel was only vaguely aware of what Dean was doing here. Crowley had no clue. Some speculation was bound to occur. Dean felt himself blushing a little. He was glad they were behind him and couldn’t see. 

~~~~~ 

Dean’s stopwatch had just hit 4 hours and he was starting to get nervous. More nervous than he already was, anyway. He had a pit in stomach, worried that they might run out of time. It also made him nervous that they hadn’t encountered anyone in a while. Gabriel had started leading the group again, so hopefully they were headed in the right direction. 

Dean’s mind raced. What if Cas was awake and walking away from them without knowing it? What if he did know it? What if someone had gotten to him already and he had disappeared into the inky black ground? Without realizing it, Dean pulled the blue and white striped tie from his pocket. He ran his fingers over the faux-silk fabric. It helped calm his nerves. 

“Do you think we’re close?” Dean asked. 

“I sense... something. Just ahead.” The way Gabriel said that made Dean nervous. It didn’t sound good. 

“It’s big, whatever it is,” Crowley added. The cheerful demeanor that the archangel and king of hell shared earlier was gone. It was replaced with a tense energy, ready for something. A fight. 

It turns out they were right. A few minutes later, a large group came into view. They were all angels. Dean could tell because recognized all of them. He’d had a hand in killing all of them about ten years ago. He noticed Uriel first, he was in the center. He looked just as angry and condescending as he had in 2010. Then there was Zachariah. Last time Dean had seen him was when he and Sam had broken the timeline. Before that, he’d last seen him with a angel blade hives through his face. He looked good, that being considered. Less bloody. Finally, there was Raphael. When Dean thought about it, he hated Raphael the most of the group. It was him that started the civil war in heaven that led to the leviathans which in turn led to so much other pain and hurt. 

Dean addressed Uriel first. 

“‘Sup, Junkless?” He seemed to like that nickname just as much as he had before. 

“Dean Winchester. Gabriel. Crowley. You three are like the set up to a bad joke. A hunter, an archangel, and a demon walk into a trap. Etcetera.” 

Dean thought about it for a second and decided he could take Uriel and Zach easy enough. But Raphael was a different story. He was an archangel and Dean had, like an idiot, forgotten that particular blade. He could—. 

He hadn’t been listening to Uriel’s snide comment but he caught the end of it. ... Walk into a trap. 

“What are the three of you doing together? Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, fighting for dominance or something?” 

Raphael have a low chuckle. 

“No, Dean. We don’t always feel the need to upset the order of things like you and you’re little family. We know who’s in charge here.” 

“The Empty,” Crowley interjected. 

“Of Course, The Empty!” This time it was Zach who spoke. “And boy, oh, boy! Do they hate you, Dean Winchester!” 

“I get that a lot,” Dean shrugged, leveling the angel blade. 

“Joke all you want, Dean. This place hates you. And they knew you’d be coming. That’s why we’re here.” 

“So, what? You’re the sludge-meisters lackeys now?” Gabriel snorted. 

“Better than being one for the Winchester’s,” Raphael said coldly. “Look how far you have fallen, Gabriel.” 

Gabriel’s eyes darkened. 

“Move out of our way, Raph.” 

“No can do, Brother,” Raphael took a step forward. Just one, but it was calculated. Menacing. 

He made a mistake, though. When he moved, Dean could see behind him. That same black goo was there, but it was spinning around, creating a sort of sphere. Dean squinted at it, trying to see what it was. Wondering why these angels were guarding it. Then he saw him. Inside the spinning sphere, he caught a glimpse of what he had come for laying on the ground. 

“Cas!” Dean shouted. But there was no response. Panicked, Dean looked quickly from Crowley to Gabriel. They seemed to understand instantly. At once, they rushed forward and the fight began. The Empty was seriously underestimating Dean if they thought three jerks he’d killed once already were going to stop him. 

Dean took out Zach first. He was easy. Uriel took a little bit more. He was strong, stronger than Dean was. But he was slow, and after a bit of tussling Dean had dispatched him as well. That left Raphael, who Dean knew he had no chance of killing. Gabriel did though and he knew it. After making brief eye contact, Dean tossed Gabriel his blade. He and Crowley stayed on Raphael as Dean ran past them to the orb containing his angel. Raphael laughed. A full belly laugh, long and loud. Dean didn’t know why, though he’d soon find out. 

With the sound of a fight behind him, Dean reaches out to touch the swirling goo. As soon as he touched it, he yanked his hand back. It was moving fast enough that it almost burned to touch. He took a deep breath, reared back, and ran at it shoulder first. When he broke through to the other side, heart pounded in his chest. He breath caught when he saw where he was. 

The walls were covered in sigils. Some that he now knew were useless. The wind howled outside. Bobby walked toward him. 

_“I still think this is a bad idea.”_

____

“Bobby—?” Dean tried to say but Bobby passed through him like he was a ghost. He whipped around and what he saw nearly made his jaw drop. 

____

_“Yeah, Bobby, I heard you the first ten times. What do you say we ring the dinner bell?“ ___

____


	5. The Night We Met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean takes a painful trip down memory lane.

“What the hell?” Dean said. No one heard him. No one saw him. What was this? Dean watched the scene unfold. Young Dean was asking Bobby if the ritual had been wrong. Dean knew immediately what memory this was. He looked over at the doors of the barn, knowing what would come next. The room began to shake. Young Dean and Bobby shouted something. Then the doors burst open. The lights shattered and Dean felt a smile slide across his face. Cas entered the room and sparks flew. The shadow of his wings spread across the room and both Deans felt a gasp escape from their lips. Dean saw himself rush forward with the demon knife and then he watched the knife dig into Cas’s shoulder. Memory Cas looked vaguely amused and Dean blushed at how foolhardy he had been. 

Looking at this version of himself and this version of Cas, Dean couldn’t help but think of how quickly the angel had chosen to fall. He couldn’t help but think of how soon after this moment Cas had rebelled. He had given up his family, his faith, his whole world. And he did all of that for Dean. 

_“Good things do happen, Dean.”_

_“Not in my experience.”_

Dean looked at Memory Cas. His head tilted and his eyes squinted at Dean’s response. It made Deans chest tighten. 

_“You don’t think you deserve to be saved?”_

That was a statement and a question all in one. Maybe it was something in his eyes, but Dean was suddenly floored by a realization. Even here, on the night they met officially, Cas was starting to rebel. Starting to feel and want. People had always told Dean that Cas was lost the second he touched him but he always thought they were exaggerating to make Dean feel shitty. But they were right. Cas had fallen in more ways than one that night, even if he wasn’t aware of either. 

The scene changed while Dean’s stared as Cas. The shift made him dizzy. Now they were in an alleyway. Next to where he stood, Memory Dean’s back slammed into the stone wall. Cas’s hands were gripped tightly around the lapels of his coat. He was yelling something about sacrificing everything for Dean and how Dean just going to run off and give himself up to Michael anyway. This had hurt like hell, but Dean knew he had deserved it. 

The scene changed again. Bobby, Sam, and Dean faced Cas who was surrounded by holy fire. 

_“Dammit, Cas, we can fix this!”_

_“Dean, it’s not broken!”_

Before Dean had even had time to ponder that memory, the scene shifted again. 

Dean and Cas were standing by the Impala. 

_“Don’t make me lose you, too.”_

And then he had. The next day Cas had been gone and Dean remembered how much it had hurt. How he had kept Cas’s coat in his car, thinking he’d never see him again. 

The scene shifted again and Dean and Cas were standing together in purgatory. Then, all of the sudden, Dean was standing alone in purgatory. Cas was gone with the flap of his wings. 

Again it changed. Dean and Cas were being separated by the portal out of purgatory. 

Again. Naomi’s mind control. Cas bearing Dean senseless. 

Again. _“Like how you didn’t trust me. Me?”_

Then Dean heard a voice that didn’t belong to any of these memories. He recognized it he thought, but it was off somehow. It felt wrong. 

“All you do is cause him pain. That isn’t love, Castiel.” 

Dean’s breath caught at that name. Was he in here somewhere? 

“Stop. That’s not true!” Dean heard Cas’s voice as a pained whisper. He was in here. If Dean could just find him somehow, he could pull him out. 

“You think so? Well, how about this one?” 

The scene changed again. This time made him extra dizzy. Then, when he was what he was watching, me felt nauseous. 

Dean was attacking Cas this time. The Mark of Cain stood out prominently on his arm. Dean was covered in blood, not his own. Cas was also covered in blood, very much his own. Dean, certain he had won the fight, went to leave the bunker. 

_“Dean.” Cas started, standing shakily. “Stop.”_

Out of the memory Dean felt like he was going to die right there. He felt tears welling up, but refusing to fall. Watching that memory made his whole body ache. He knew that he couldn’t do anything but he ran to Cas’s side. Dean lifted the angel blade he had stolen and slammed it into a book next to Cas’s head. In his expression, Dean could read how thankful Cas was. How proud of Dean for resisting. Dean don’t feel those things. He hated himself for this. 

“You couldn’t stop him. He doesn’t love you! So give up!” 

“No.” 

“Cas!” Dean screamed out. “Please, Cas, hear me!” 

He got no response. The voice spoke again. 

“Then we’ll have to keep going, won’t we?” 

Abruptly, the scenes began to change. It was like a clip show of The Dean and Cas show: Worst Hits Edition. 

Dean had to get of there. He had to get Cas out of there. He screamed and yelled. Nothing. Dean couldn’t see Cas, which meant Cas couldn’t see him. How could he make him see him? 

Dean got an idea. If he could change the memories, insert himself somehow, Cas would see him. The next memory change, he tried to step into his own shoes. It was when Cas was under the attack dog spell. He wanted to take his own place in the memory but he just slipped right through himself. 

The next few were petty arguments. Once, a fight they’d had in the Impala, Dean had been able to slip into himself, but he had no control. He had been particularly annoyed by that memory and by the argument Cas and he were having. 

“That’s it!” Dean revealed to no one. He needed to get worked up. The more emotionally affected he was the easier it was to control a memory. He had spent this whole time trying to tamp all the emotion down that he’d missed it. 

The next memory was... it was the most recent. Dean and Cas were standing together. Cas’s hand was bleeding and there was a pounding on the door. Dean took a shaky breath and stepped into himself. Dean felt a pounding in his chest and he wiggles his fingers just to make sure it had worked. Each finger responded in turn and Dean felt himself smile, just a little, in spite of himself. 

_“I love you.”_ Cas’s face was full of live and joy and pride. Dean’s head shot up. The Empty would be here any minute and then the memory would end and Dean couldn’t waste this chance. 

“Cas! I—“ the words choked off. “Dammit, Dean! Come on, you can do this!” 

Cas squinted a little, confused. There was something in his eyes, like he was trying to figure out where he was. Like he was waking up from a dream. 

“Cas, I love you!” 

His eyes widened. Behind him, Dean could hear the wall opening. 

“This- This is a trick. You’re The Empty! You’re not him!” 

“Cas, it’s me!” 

“No! Stop doing this! Stop pretending!” 

“Dammit, Cas, we’re running out of time!” Dean took Cas by the shoulders and shook him lightly, trying to snap him out of it. “Look at me, you stupid son of a bitch, it me!” 

“No you’re not! You’re not Dean!” 

Dean was running out of time. Twelve hours had nearly passed and this memory was almost over. Dean couldn’t leave here without Cas, especially when he was this close. 

“It’s me, Cas! I’m real!” Dean pulled the angels face to his. Their foreheads were touching. “I am real. We are real.” 

And then their lips met and Dean felt the world around him spin. It was like puzzle pieces sliding into place. Nothing had ever felt so right, not ever. Everything made sense for the first time and Dean didn’t ever want to stop kissing him. He didn’t believe in fate, or destiny. He never had. But just then, he believed in soulmates. 

Around the two of them, flashes of memories circled. They heard bits of their past. 

_“I’m the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.”_

_“Don’t ever change.”_

_“We’re making it up as we go.”_

_“You made an exception for me.”_

_“I need you.”_

_“I miss him.”_

_“Sorry, but I’d rather have you, cursed or not.”_

_“You asked what was real about all this? We are.”_

_“Let me bottom line it for you: I’m not leaving here without you.”_

_“You changed me.”_

_“I love you.”_

When they finally broke apart, Dean took a few seconds to open his eyes. He would have stayed there for the rest of his life, eyes shut, lips pressed. But the time came for that moment to end, at least momentarily. The bunker came into view around him and as it did, so did Sam, Jack, Amara, and now Eileen. Sam, Jack, and Eileen all smiled, though they were very different smiles. Amara’s expression was nearly unreadable, except for the slightest look in her eyes. It looked to Dean like a mixture of relief and disappointment. 

Jack threw himself at Cas, encircling him in a desperate hug. Tears of joy streamed down Jack’s face. Cas held him close, a few stray tears glistening in his own cheeks. Dean leaned back on the table behind him, exhausted, relieved, and still in a bit of shock. Sam slid in next to him. 

“You did it,” Sam still wore his little smirk. 

“Yeah, I did.” The stared in silence. They were both happy and both unsure what was supposed to happen next. Dean glanced over to Amara, who was looking vaguely uncomfortable. He smiled at her and gave a small nod. 

“Thank you,” he mouthed. She gave him a sad smile and disappeared. He understood. Why should she stay and watch them be happy when it had cost her the only family she’d ever really known? Even if she did hate him, losing people sucked. 

Sam had joined the others across the room. There were still some tears mixed in but now they were smiling and laughing through them. Jack, face still shiny and wet, beamed. He was telling Cas and Eileen everything he had missed with exciting detail. It was moments like these that Dean remembered just how young Jack was, even if he was full of semi-god juice now. Cas and Eileen listened to the tale enthusiastically and Sam added details Jack missed. Every once in a while, Sam and Eileen would sneakily sign to one another, little inside jokes just for them. Dean stayed where he was, happy to just watch his family be happy. He would gladly have sat there for hours. 

As Jack told a part of the tale that he found especially riveting, Cas glanced over at Dean. He smiled and it was soft and sure and beautiful. And Dean was sure nothing could ever be wrong again.


	6. Good Times Bad Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Life finds a way-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to post! But its finally here and I think its the best chapter yet, hope you enjoy it!

Dean was laying on his back. He stared straight up at the ceiling, trying to see patterns. Anything to distract his mind. Hours ago, everyone had walked separately to their bedrooms. Dean had tried to sleep. He’d actually fallen asleep, but the nightmares came as quickly as he’d drifted off. Dreams of black goo and loneliness. So now, here he was, looking up, debating himself on whether he should get up and check to see if any of yesterday was real or not. He knew he was being stupid. Of course it was real. He knew that. 

The silence being to eat at Dean until finally he swung his legs over the side of the bed. The floor was cold, even through Dean’s socks. 

“Here goes nothin’.” Dean sighed. 

He backed out into the hall as quietly as possible, pulling the door to his room shut. It gave a small click. Then, Dean tiptoed to Cas’s door. He stared at the number written on the door. He didn’t know how long he stood there exactly. It might have been less than a minute. But to Dean, it felt like an hour. Finally, he lifted his handed, going to knock lightly. Before he could though, the door opened.

It was Cas. Dean, without realizing he was holding it to begin with, let out a breath. A sigh of relief that it had, in fact, been real. Cas looked surprised. He probably hadn’t expected to see Dean standing at his door. His eyes glanced briefly at Deans raised fist. Embarrassed, Dean dropped it. He shoved his hands into the pockets of jeans he’d fallen asleep in. 

“I, uh, didn’t wake you up, did I?” Dean asked sheepishly.

“No, I was...” Cas seemed to be the embarrassed one now. “I was actually coming to see you.”

“Oh.”

_This is awkward,_ Dean thought. _Why is this awkward?_

Cas stared at his feet. Dean bit his lip. For a moment, the two men stood in silence. Then:

“Cas—?” Dean started, but was interrupted by Cas.

“Dean—.” Dean felt his cheeks flush. He ran a hand through his hair, leaning back on his heels.

“You hungry?” He felt stupid immediately. Angels didn’t need to eat. But Cas just smiled.

“Sure.”

~~~~~

Dean pulled two beers out of the fridge and slid into the seat across from Cas. He slid a beer across the table and took a sip out of the other.

“Dean, this is not food.”

“Close enough, right?” Dean smirked. It made Cas smile, too, despite his better judgement. 

Dean propped his elbows up on the table, resting his chin on his hands. He peered at Cas above the beer bottle. His bright blue eyes were shining with life again and Dean couldn’t be happier. The thought that he might never see those eyes again, well, that had been agony. But he was here now and Dean wanted it to stay that way forever.

“Cas,” he started nervously. “I’m glad you’re home.” 

Cas’s mouth curled into a small smile, but he didn’t say anything. 

“I- I want you to know... I missed you. A lot. I mean, hell I always do, but I really missed you, Cas.”

“I’m sorry if I hurt you, Dean,” Cas spoke, almost a whisper.

“If you-? What? No, Cas, you saved me. You don’t have to apologize for anything. But-“ Dean paused. He knew what he wanted to ask, but he wasn’t sure if he knew how.

“That’s very kind of you, Dean.” Cas looked down. He didn’t know why, but Dean thought Cas was getting ready to bolt.

“Wait!” Dean reaches out for Cas. He caught his shoulder and pulled him close. “Why? Why did you think you couldn’t have it?”

“Because... I don’t know. Because I’m me and you’re you. You’re Dean Winchester and I’m some random fallen angel.” There were tears in his eyes.

“You are the most incredible person I have ever met, Cas. I thought... if I had known earlier...I didn’t think angels could love the way humans could. I thought it was just me.”

“I didn’t realize until I became human that I could feel things that way and when I did, I realized I always had.”

“Cas, I’ve loved you for a longtime. I don’t even know how long. And I don’t ever want to stop.”

Cas reached up. He slipped one hand around Dean’s neck and grabbed his shirt collar with the other. He pulled their lips together for the second time and it felt just as magical as the first. Dean thought that it might have even been more so. It was soft and sweet and perfect. Less desperate than last time but still full of passion and hunger. Dean wrapped his arm around the angel’s waist, keeping them close together, because Dean wanted to be that close always. They had missed so much, wasted so much time. That was never going to happen again. Not if Dean could help it. 

When they finally broke apart, Dean was trying to catch his breath. Both men had their foreheads pressed together, noses briefly touching every time they exhaled. They stood in the breathy quiet for a moment, letting the memory sink in and imprint itself onto their souls. 

“I want you, Cas. That’s all I’ve ever wanted and it’s all I ever will.”

~~~~~

A few weeks had past since Cas came home. Everyone was getting used to a quieter life. Sam and Eileen had gone on a few close hunts. Jack had gone along on a couple. Dean and Cas hadn’t. They stayed home. Dean waited for his family to come home, happy when they were back early, worried when they were late. Cas watched Dean with wonder. When everyone was home, they ate dinner at the table. They played board games. Dean insisted they were all teaming up against him. They were, of course, but he couldn’t prove it and they all exchanged little glances and laughed when Dean stared at the game board in frustration. 

At night they watched movies in the Dean-Cave. On one end, Sam sat with Eileen snuggled against his side, her feet folded up next to her. During whatever movie they’d all let Dean pick, Eileen would sign little comments to Sam, who would laughed and sign something back. On the other end, Dean sat next to Cas. He crossed his legs and draped his arm across the couch behind Cas. Sometimes, Cas and Dean’s hands would find each other, fingers interlocking. Sometimes, Dean would catch Sam glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. Never staring, just little looks partnered with soft smiles. Eileen too. It made Dean’s cheeks burn. He still found himself looking around the room before taking Cas into his arms, or closing doors to kiss him. He couldn’t stop himself from stepping back from Cas when someone entered a room. Luckily, Cas was patient and Sam was understanding. Each day that passed, Dean became more comfortable with himself and grew happier as he did. 

Jack and Miracle sat on the ground in front of the couch, snuggled up in a pile of pillows and blankets. Jack would rub Miracles belly and he and Dean would sneak her pieces of popcorn or chips when Sam wasn’t looking. He insisted that it was bad for her, but Miracle’s puppy-dog eyes insisted it wasn’t. Despite this, when he thought no one was looking, Sam would sneak her extra treats, too. Jack didn’t seem to notice a significant difference in Dean and Cas’s relationship. He just said that everyone “seems happier.”

Tonight, they were watching Rocky, after all it was nearly Thanksgiving and the film was, Dean argued, “technically a Thanksgiving movie.” About halfway through, they paused the movie. Dean was ready for dessert. 

Dean walked to the kitchen, humming Eye of The Tiger to himself. The pie Dean had baked earlier was sitting on the counter cooling. He leaned over it, admiring the lattice work that he’d painstakingly laid across the top of the pie. Sam had poked fun at him for how carefully he had placed each strip of dough. Dean had told him that if he didn’t stop being an asshole he wouldn’t get a piece. He had stopped after that. Dean grinned, contented. 

He was rummaging through the drawer for the right pie knife. After searching through the drawer and being annoyed that someone had gotten everything all mixed up, he finally found the knife he wanted. 

“Aha!” He exclaimed, holding the knife up like it was some buried treasure he’d discovered. 

Behind him, something shattered. Dean spun around. The pie dish was on the ground. The floor was covered in broken ceramic and cherry filling. His eyes followed the path up to the counter where the pie had been before. In its place was a woman he recognized. She was clad in black with bleach blonde hair, brown roots showing just a bit. 

“Meg?”

“Not quite,” they said. “You like it, though? I do. She makes you feel guilty. Makes you remember how she died helping you. Oh! And even better, how you became friends with the demon that killed her.”

Dean cringed. He already thought about those things all of the time. He really didn’t need some _thing_ to look like her and remind him. He glowered at the thing on his counter.

“What the hell are you?”

“I don’t think the two of us have been formally introduced,” they began. “But we have met before. Maybe this will look more familiar.”

Black goo or sludge began to seep out around them. Dean took an instinctive step back. 

“I am... The Empty!” they said, arms spread out dramatically, like they were introducing a circus. “And you, Dean Winchester, are quite a thorn in my side.”

“Back at ya,” Dean could hear his blood rushing in his ears, his heart pounding in his chest. He refused to take his eyes off of The Empty. He bored into them, eyes dark. The Empty laughed in response. 

“Dean, Dean, Dean. I’ve traced it all back to you. All of my problems. I’m awake because of you and your little boyfriend. Your nephilim made it loud in my home, so now I can’t sleep. The angel has escaped me thrice now. I’m done, Dean. No more getting away with things you shouldn’t. I hate Billie, she betrayed me. But I do understand her hatred of you and your little family disturbing the natural order.”

“You’re a little late to stop the whole ‘getting-away-with-it’ thing. We already did.”

“You think so?”

“Look around.”

“ _You_ look around, Dean.” It wasn’t yelling but it shook the kitchen. They were right in Dean’s face now, the goo getting a sudden surge in volume. “You like this sweet little life that you’re building? I will destroy it. I am going to take away everything you love, everything you cherish. I will make you suffer for eternity and this time there will be no ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card. Got it?” 

“You’re playing a dangerous game, asshole,” Dean hardly recognized the voice that came out of his mouth. It was cold and dark. He glowered, face made of stone. 

The Empty’s eyes sparkled, like they were enjoying this. They probably were. Dean took a step forward, closing what little space there was between them and stared down at the tiny form The Empty has chosen with a white-hot intensity.

“Dean, did you drop some...” A voice came from the hallway. It trailed off when they entered the room. Both Dean and The Empty turned to the source of the voice. 

Jack was frozen in the doorway. His wide eyes took in the room, glancing nervously between Dean and their enemy.

“Dean, that’s—“

“I know, kid.”

The corner of The Empty’s mouth quirked up into a malicious grin. They were looking straight at Jack and the goo seemed to be growing in his direction. Dean looked down at the knife that was still in his hand from the drawer. It was a long shot but...

He swiped wide, bottom to top. A huge gash appeared in The Empty’s back but instead of blood, there was inky black goo. They screamed out, in what sounded like half pain and half anger. 

“Jack, run! Warn the others!” Dean commanded. He nodded quick and ran off into the bunker. 

Dean tried to maneuver around the bleeding cosmic entity, attempting to slip between them and the kitchen island. It ended with him gasping for breath, back slammed flat on the island. The Empty had one hand around his throat and the other was latched on the wrist that held the knife.

“You’re stronger than you look,” Dean choked out. 

“I get that a lot.”

Dean gave them a curt smirk. Then he kicked, as hard as he could from his position, nailing them right in the stomach. They stumbled back far enough for Dean to get back to his feet, but the fight wasn’t over yet. The knife was still firmly in his hand and he used it to his advantage. He knew it wouldn’t kill The Empty but it seemed to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. And that was good enough just then. 

They kept each other at arms distance, circling slowly, each participant trying and failing to land any hits. Eventually, The Empty got hold of Dean. Their surprising strength was enough to overpower Dean briefly. But he still had the knife. Dean flicked it around in his hand so that it faces backwards. He twisted out of the way and in one swift motion thrust the knife back into The Empty’s stomach. They screeched and Dean took the opportunity to run out of the kitchen. 

He rounded the corner in the hallway and nearly collided with Sam. Behind him, Cas, Jack, and Eileen each held various blades and guns. Miracle trailed behind, also looking alert.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked. 

“No,” Dean answered honestly. “Let’s get outta here.”

Dean waved everyone ahead of him. They made their way to the stairs and began climbing two steps at a time. Dean was at the top of the staircase, nearly out the door when The Empty shouted behind him.

“This isn’t over!”

Dean pulled his pistol out and fired one bullet. It hit square in their forehead. They recoiled from the impact, but seemed otherwise unaffected. 

“Worth a shot,” Dean muttered before slipping out of the door behind his family.

~~~~~

Baby’s tires squealed as Dean peeled out of the driveway. They were squeezed into the car tight, the back seat sitting three people and a dog. Dean pushed the pedal to the floor, heading for the highway. 

When they were far enough away from the bunker, Dean broke the silence. 

“What the hell happened back there?” He demanded, more of himself than anyone else. 

“I don’t know,” Cas replied.

“How did The Empty get here? Don’t they have to be summoned?” Sam questioned.

“That I really don’t know.”

After they all stewed in that for a moment, Eileen piped up.

“Where are we going?” 

Dean stared straight ahead, watching the yellow and white lines disappear under the wheels.

“I don’t know.”


	7. Highway to Hell

Everyone rode in silence. Out the windshield, the road became a blur. Dean stared ahead, stone-faced, racking his brain for any sort of plan. Next to him, Cas studied that hard look. Concern filled his features, the squinted eyes and pursed lips watched his every minute movement. Dean’s eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, where he saw Sam watching him with a similar concern. Dean hated it. He hated that they were looking at him like he was the one who needed to be looked after. He couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Well, this is just awesome,” Dean said, turning the knob on the radio. The haunting tune began to seep out of the speakers.

_“It hurts to set you free,  
But you’ll never follow me.  
The end of laughter and soft lies,  
The end of nights we tried to die.  
This is the end.”_

“Jesus…” Dean shuddered, turning the radio back off. He ran a hand through his hair. He looked over at Cas, who was still looking at him, and met his eyes. Those blue eyes bored into his soul.

“Dean…” Cas whispered. “We need a plan.”

“I know, Cas. I’m gonna fix this.”

“And, Dean?” 

“Yeah, Cas?” 

“You should put on your seatbelt.”

Dean laughed, but when Cas fixed him with his patented ‘this is serious, Dean’ look, he reached over and clicked the seatbelt into place. 

“What’s that?” Jack asked. Dean turned back to him with a questioning look. His eyes widened and so did Sam and Eileen’s. She pointed to something ahead of them.

“Look out!” She shouted. Dean whipped around to the front and saw a figure up ahead, standing in the middle of the road. Dean tried to make out a face on the figure but couldn’t, even as they got closer. He honked the horn, hoping the person or thing would move. 

“Dean! The brakes!” Cas grabbed his arm. Dean pressed hard on the pedal, spinning the wheel as he did. The car turned 90 degrees, skidding to a stop hardly a yard from the figure. It still hadn’t moved. Miracle growled, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Looking at it up close, Dean could see it in more detail. It was a man standing in front of the car, but something about him looked wrong. Unhuman. The longer he looked at him, the more his stomach turned. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Jack asked.

“I don’t plan on sticking around long enough to find out.” With that, Dean slammed his boot into the pedal. He finished the turn that the car had started earlier, now facing away from the unsettling man. In the rearview mirror, he could see the man’s arms extended toward them, but where arms should have been was black goo, stretching towards them. 

“Everyone hold on!” He shifted the car into reverse and floored it backwards into the inky black figure. Then he shifted into drive and began to speed in the other direction. 

“Is everybody okay?” Dean asked, getting three unsure yeses. “Cas? You okay?” 

He looked over at the man sitting next to him. The man who had seen more of this monster than any of them. The man that Dean had just gotten back and that The Empty had promised to take away from him again. Cas’s eyes were fixed on the dashboard, burning holes through the glove compartment. Dean squeezed his shoulder, then let his hand fall down into Cas’s. He locked their fingers together. Finally, Cas looked over at him, and his big blue eyes were more afraid than Dean had seen them in a long time, maybe ever. 

“Hey,” he whispered. “I’m not gonna let anything happen. I promise.” 

“Dean, I- What are we going to do?” Cas asked. He was placing so much trust in Dean, just like he always did. It made Dean’s chest ache.

“I don’t know. But I’ll figure it out. We just need to get somewhere safe and then- SON OF A BITCH!” Dean jerked the wheel hard to the right, just in time to narrowly miss a pillar of black goo slamming down into the asphalt. It seemed to come from the sky, like a meteor crashing to Earth, and where it landed had left a shallow crater. Another pillar slammed down on the passenger side, making Dean swerve back to the left. Suddenly, black pillars seemed to be raining down on them. Dean jerked the wheel from side to side, barely avoiding most impacts, but catching the outer edge of a few. A large dent glared at Dean from Baby’s hood where a pillar had caught the front right corner. After a deluge of the goo missiles rocketing into the ground around them, there was suddenly nothing.

“They… stopped?” Sam questioned. 

“Or so it appears,” Cas replied warrily. 

“Yeah, well,” Dean started, unconvinced, “Don’t count on it.”

He was right to be wary. Because, hardly a few seconds later, they began to crash down several yards away, rapid fire. Then, out of the craters, from the goo, they saw something emerge. People, or things that looked vaguely like people, rose up. 

“What the hell are these things?” Eileen asked, unable to disguise the horror in her voice. Before Dean could reply, he saw another pillar coming down. He hardly had time to react, it was right on top of them and was faster than he could possibly hope to be. He only managed to tap the breaks before it plummeted into the front of the hood. They hadn’t slowed down nearly enough. Instead of stopping them dead in their tracks, they go to experience the singular sensation of being tossed through the air. Dean’s stomach lurched. Blood rushed to his head then away and then back again. His arm shot out to the seat next to him, desperately grasping for Cas in mid-air. He couldn’t hear anything except for the blood rushing in his ears. 

When the car landed, it took Dean a few seconds to get his bearings. And when he did, he realized he was upside down. He was actually glad that Cas had made him put on his seatbelt, or who knows where Dean might have landed. He coughed, hard, and noticed only then that his chest hurt like hell. 

“Cas? Jack? Sammy, Eileen? Miracle?” he coughed. Various responses sounded off, signaling that everyone was, at least mostly, okay. Out the front windshield, several pairs of feet were approaching them. 

“Shit! Dammit!” Dean exclaimed. He struggled to unclick his seatbelt from his position, but eventually the button gave and Dean dropped to the roof.

“Ow, shit!” He winced as his back landed in the bits of glass from the shattered windshield. Next to him, Cas was undoing his own seatbelt and he was sure Sam and Eileen were doing the same. He grabbed the seat above him and pulled, maneuvering to get a better angle. When he was positioned well, he reared his leg back and kicked the door. After 4 or 5 kicks, it flew open and he crawled out backwards. The Empty-Monsters were getting closer but they weren’t running, just slowly inching toward the wrecked car. Dean tried to stand up straight but quickly realized his error. He doubled over, clutching his side. Definitely a few broken ribs, and the sharp pain he felt when he put weight on his right ankle suggested something was wrong there, too. So he limped, half hunched over to the back door. He yanked it open and reached a hand down to help Eileen out. Luckily, she seemed mostly unscathed, save for a few light purple bruises beginning to form and a small cut above her eyebrow. Sam crawled out after her, with a few cuts here and there himself. He rubbed his neck, but otherwise insisted he was fine when Dean asked. On the other side of the car, Cas fussed over a completely unhurt Jack. Jack, however, was giving all his attention to Miracle. Dean breathed a massive sigh of relief seeing he’d taken the brunt of the damage. Cas had some cuts on his face and hands, but that was nothing that being an angel couldn’t heal. 

The Empty-Monsters were closing in on them. They’d gathered in a circle around the car, ranks tight. One must have come from every single pillar that crashed down. Maybe more than one. Dean pulled his pistol at the same time that Cas let his angel blade drop into his hand. Sam and Eileen followed suit, each drawing a gun. Jack’s eyes glowed yellow and Miracle growled. 

Just like that, the battle began. Dean fired a shot at the nearest monster. The second the bullet hit it, the thing melted into a pile of black sludge. Cas lunged forward, swinging his blade in a wide arch. Jack used his powers to push the monsters back from them, though that seemed to be the only effect he really had on them. He tried to disintegrate them or snap them out of existence, but it was clear that whatever power The Empty had used to keep Amara from getting in before, it was using now. Dean kept firing, watching carefully and firing at anything that got too close to someone for comfort. He backed toward the trunk as he did. Without looking, Dean popped the trunk open letting their duffel bags that were stored there fall to the ground. He grabbed for a blade of any kind, wrapping his hand around whatever handle he could find without taking his eyes off of the fight. He came out with a machete. 

“That’ll work,” he shrugged. He fired off his last shot at a monster that had managed to get past Sam and Eilleen, then ran headlong into the fray, swinging his machete at the first monster he saw. The fight drew on, and as it did Team Free Will found themselves back closer and closer to the wreckage of Dean’s baby. Eilleen had also picked up a blade after running out of bullets, only Sam still held a loaded firearm. When he too ran out of ammunition, he began to tear through the weapons in the upside down trunk. 

“There has to be something in here we can use!”

“I don’t know, Sammy. These things just keep coming. Hell, they’re from The Empty and that thing survived a bomb that was supposed to kill God.” Dean hated to admit it but, this thing seemed unkillable.

“Well, something has to work! If it bleeds, you can kill it, right?”

“Yes, but,” Cas said. “This doesn’t actually bleed.”

They all let that sink in. Dean looked at Cas, who had that same look from earlier painted all over his face. Dean bit his lip. He wasn’t giving up this easily, not going down without a fight. He stepped forward. 

“Come and get us, assholes.”

He raised his blade, ready to go down swinging. Before he could, though, an engine rumbled in the distance. In an instant, black goo was sprayed all over as a black pick up truck came skidding to a sideways stop in front of them. The side of the bed was covered in goo from the monsters that it had slammed into. Beside it was another truck, this one fitted with red and blue lights on top. Dean smiled when he was a blonde pop her head out of the window and heard that Minnesota accent call out.

“Well, whatcha waiting for? An invitation? Get yer rear-ends in the truck!”


End file.
